Mystery + World Cup = “an unforgiving deadline”: It’s a Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy Q&A with Angela Cervantes

This past Saturday my husband and son attended a World Cup preview game in Chicago between Germany and the States. Very fun stuff. Seems these days you can’t turn around without seeing World Cup celebratory posts somewhere. Or maybe that’s just me with my soccer-obsessed offspring. Whatever the case, when I learned that Pura Belpré Honoree Angela Cervantes had written a World Cup mystery inspired by the unsolved 1983 theft of the Jules Rimet Trophy, I was intrigued. Add on the fact that The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy (out now) is being released simultaneously in Spanish and I do think and interviewing is in order, don’t you?

But just so you know what we’re talking about here, this is the recap of the book:

“Diez Espada—named after the jersey number of his soccer-obsessed father’s favorite player, Lionel Messi—would rather be chasing clues than soccer balls. When the World Cup trophy disappears at a glitzy party in Miami, he’s suddenly at the center of the most thrilling match of his life—a race to find the trophy before it’s gone for good.

Teaming up with his crush, Rio, and the world-famous Detective Enzo, Diez dives headfirst into a one-night whirlwind of secret tunnels and a squad of suspicious suspects: a spoiled son of a Miami tycoon, a famous sportscaster, and even Rio’s two prankster younger brothers.

The clock is ticking, the suspects are slippery, and the stadium lights are ready to shine. Will Diez find the trophy in time for the World Cup championship match?”

Questions for Angela? Don’t mind if I do!

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Betsy Bird: Angela! Thank you so much for answering my questions today. As was pointed out to me by your publicist, THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN WORLD CUP TROPHY is magnificently timed for this year’s World Cup games here in the States. This says to me that in order to get this book out in time, you must have been given a pretty strict deadline. Tell us a little bit about coming up with the story and writing it with the knowledge that it had to be ready to go by summer 2026. 

Angela Cervantes: It’s true. It was an unforgiving deadline. I blame myself. However, I believe it just shows that not only was I super passionate about writing this story about my young sleuth Diez Espada, but that I’m also a glutton for punishment.

In all seriousness, the World Cup-inspired mystery floated in my mind for a long time. By the time I finally shared the concept with my agent, there was real concern that I wouldn’t be able to finish it and have it ready to be released for the men’s World Cup. Luckily, my agent and I found a home for it with Macmillan and with my editor, Carina Licon, who shared my excitement for the story and the World Cup. She and I quickly bonded over our favorite team (Mexico’s national team!) and all the drama, tears, and joy that accompanies the World Cup. Together, we crafted a schedule that worked for both of us. Knowing she was on my side lessened the pressure and allowed me to dive into the story and enjoy every second writing it.

BB: I know that you drew some inspiration from the unsolved 1983 theft of the Jules Rimet Trophy. Can you tell us a bit about that case and how it influenced the writing of your book? 

AC: Yes, the 1983 heist is a real, unsolved crime that most people have never heard of! The original trophy, known as the Jules Rimet Trophy, was stolen not once but twice. The first time it was taken in London in 1966 and the thieves demanded that FIFA pay a ransom. Of course, FIFA refused. Luckily, that story has a happy ending: a sweet dog named Pickles sniffed it out on his morning walk. Such a good boy! But the second theft happened in 1983. In 1970, after Brazil had won the World Cup three times (all thanks to the great Pelé!), the Jules Rimet Trophy was given to Brazil in perpetuity. It was put on display in Rio de Janeiro, where it vanished in the night and was never recovered. Some believe it was melted down and others, like me, believe it’s sitting on a shelf in someone’s house. Anyway, I was immediately hooked. And I wondered what would happen if during the 2026 tournament here in North America that the trophy went missing.

This was the spark for The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy. My sixth-grade sleuth, Diez Espada, happens to be at a very exclusive party in Miami when the trophy goes missing. Knowing what he knows about the Jules Rimet and his knowledge about solving mysteries, he knows he must get off the bench, rush into the game, and find the trophy before it’s gone forever.

BB: NICE elevator pitch! Now you’ve been writing books for kids for at least 10 years now. Part of what’s so cool about your latest book is that it’s being simultaneously released in both English and Spanish. Historically, publishers would put out a book in English, wait a year or two, and then put out the Spanish edition. This has been a good change, as far as a lot of us are concerned. Have you noticed any other significant changes in the industry since you first started writing? 

AC: The simultaneous English/Spanish release is huge to me. I’m so glad you mentioned it. With most of my middle-grade novels, the Spanish version has come out about a year later, and only if the English book did well enough to justify it. The implicit message of this is that Spanish-speaking readers were secondary. Seeing this change feels meaningful, not just commercially but symbolically. And especially with this World Cup-inspired novel. As everyone knows, the World Cup tournament is watched by billions! Billions! And a large chunk of that includes Spanish-speaking countries and communities. By publishing the novel in both languages right from the first whistle, Macmillan is showing its commitment to our communities.

Beyond that, I’ve watched the conversation around representation shift in a real way. Librarians, teachers, and parents understand what Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop meant by “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.” My main principle as an author is to write the kind of books that I wanted to see on the bookshelves when I was a child. I knew, even as a kid growing up in Kansas, that children like me craved seeing themselves reflected authentically in books, and they also need windows into lives different from their own. We still have work to do. I’d like to see more diversity and inclusion on panels at major book fests and library conferences. From my point of view, true representation is not where it should be in 2026. Still, I believe the landscape has genuinely changed for the better since my first novel, Gaby, Lost and Found, came out in 2012.

BB: Well said. Getting back to this book, I often think that sports novels for kids can be done, but they’re awfully tricky to pull off narratively. It must be doubly difficult to write a book that both sportsy AND a mystery that needs to be solved. Tell us some of the challenges of writing both kinds of novels. And how does one even go about writing a mystery book for kids? 

AC: This was a challenge for sure. With a sports novel, the challenge is that kids who love fútbol already know the game. I knew that I could not get the soccer terminology wrong, or I’d lose readers on page two. Luckily, I genuinely love fútbol so I knew a lot and was eager to learn more.  As for the mystery aspect, the challenge was I wanted to plant clues that a sharp young reader could follow, yet still make the big reveal feel surprising. Luckily, I’ve had some experience with writing a mystery.  In 2016, I published my Frida Kahlo-inspired novel Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring. I had so much fun writing that mystery novel that I was itching to get back to the mystery genre. The storied past of the world cup trophy was the perfect inspiration and really represented a combination of my two loves: sports and mystery genre. And what I discovered is that playing soccer and solving a mystery use the same instincts: reading a situation on the pitch, anticipating what comes next, noticing what’s hiding in plain sight, and trusting your gut alongside facts. Those are exactly the skills a good sleuth needs.

BB: Was there anything you wanted to include in one of your original drafts and then dropped because, for whatever reason, it didn’t fit into the narrative? 

AC: Every draft has its casualties! I will say that Diez’s relationship with his dad went through several versions. His dad works at the hotel where the VIP party is held and the trophy goes missing, which puts him in an awkward spot when Diez starts investigating. I kept pushing and pulling at how much of that tension to show on the page. There were scenes between them and flashback of Diez and his deceased mom that I loved but ultimately slowed the mystery down. It was tough, but those scenes had to go. The other thing I played with was the talking parrot named Soledad. Yes, there’s a talking bird in this book. I don’t want to give too much away, but early drafts had that bird doing considerably more talking. For the sake of the story, I had to shush her a bit.

BB: I mean, I have to ask it – are you going to go to one of the World Cup matches when they’re here in the States? 

AC:  I have to, right? It would feel like a crime to write a book about the World Cup and then watch it from my couch in Kansas! So, I’m happy to disclose that I’ve scored tickets to a quarterfinal game in Miami in July, which is perfect since my novel is set there. Right now, I don’t know who will be in the quarterfinals, but being there in person, surrounded by fans from around the world, will be an unforgettable experience. I will be somewhere at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami cheering loudly and probably crying a little too.

BB: Jealous! Finally, what else are you working on these days? What can we see from you next?

AC: I’m making the finishing touches on Anomalies 53: Dragon Dreams, which is Book 2 in my fantasy series. It comes out in July 2026, right after the World Cup fever, so I’m going to be very busy this summer! Into the Shadows was my first fantasy novel, and stepping into the world of mythical creatures was a new creative adventure for me. Dragon Dreams picks up where we left off, and I can tell you that things get considerably more complicated for my young heroes. Beyond that, I’m thinking up a new mystery novel for Diaz Espada and maybe another scary tale for the fans of The Cursed Moon. Lots going on! The best way to keep up is to find me on Instagram at @angelacervantes_author or sign up for my newsletter at angelacervantes.com.

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Ah, that’s good stuff. Huge thanks to Angela for superb question answering (no red card for you). Thanks too to Sam Sacks and the team at Macmillan for helping to put this all together. The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy is, as mentioned before, out now so be sure to hand it to both your sports readers and your mystery fans at once.

Filed under: Interviews